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A monthly newsletter for staff, physicians and volunteers: Keeping you informed
Pfizer COVID-19 Vaccinations Begin at SAH! February 2021 Edition
WHAT’S INSIDE: SAH to Mark 10th Anniversary...4 Volunteers: ASTOP...7 Occupational Health Nurse, Maureen Lowe, administers first SAH COVID-19 vaccine to Shawna Piroli, ICU nurse.
On Thursday, February 25, 2021 SAH delivered the first COVID19 vaccine to Shawna Piroli, ICU nurse. We have received a total of 968 Pfizer doses which will cover all highest priority health care workers. SAH is following the Ministry of Health Guidelines to determine priority. The SAH COVID-19 Clinic has been set up in the Goulais and Michigan Rooms and Human Resources is contacting the highest priority health care workers to set up appointments. All vaccines will be scheduled and walk-in appointments will not be accepted. Stay tuned for ongoing information on the vaccine rollout at our hospital.
Caregiver ID Project...8
Preparing for your COVID-19 Vaccine...9 Robin Dechamplain, ICU nurse receives COVID-19 vaccine
In addition to high priority health care workers, SAH will soon be providing vaccines to alternate level of care patients as per the priority guidelines. Thank you to everyone at SAH who has worked very hard to manage the vaccine rollout and establish the vaccine clinic. This is truly a very hopeful time in the course of the COVID-19 Pandemic as we aim to vaccinate everyone who wants a vaccine!
A publication by Communications & Public Affairs
EXCEPTIONAL PEOPLE Featuring Dr. Amanda Giunti We welcome Dr. Amanda Giunti, Family Physician to Sault Ste. Marie and SAH! Born and raised in Sault Ste. Marie, Dr. Giunti has always aspired to return to her home town to practice medicine. “I love this community and all it has to offer,” she says. Dr. Giunti obtained her a Bachelor’s degree in Health Sciences at the University of Ottawa and then attended the Northern Ontario School of Medicine in Sudbury. Having completed her residency at SAH, Dr. Giunti is well-oriented with the hospital and has enjoyed her time here. She began her family practice in our community in August 2020. “I really like the diversity of family medicine. I care for people of all ages and stages of their lives,” she says. “I also like the continuity of care associated with family medicine. I often have the opportunity to care for an entire family and I enjoy getting to know everyone. It is gratifying to build these relationships.” Throughout her residency and since establishing her practice in Sault Ste. Marie, Dr. Giunti has enjoyed working at SAH. “Having completed my training here, it is helpful to be familiar with the community resources and my colleagues. Everyone at SAH has always been so supportive and collegial. It is comforting to know that my colleagues are always there for me and I appreciate their willingness to help.” Dr. Guinti loves being home with family and friends. In her spare time, she enjoys the beautiful landscape in Algoma and the many amenities available in our beautiful community. “I like going to the beaches, snowshoeing, skiing, crafting, knitting and baking elaborate cakes.” We welcome Dr. Giunti! Page 2
EXCEPTIONAL PEOPLE Congratulations Tony Kajnar!
Tony Kajnar, Respiratory Therapist at SAH has been involved with several research/education initiatives related to pulmonary diagnostics under COVID-19 precautions. There is a great deal of debate among experts and published practice recommendations on how to safely perform pulmonary diagnostic testing under COVID-19 precautions. The primary concerns are asymptomatic spread of COVID-19 and indoor air quality. Tony has been involved in the following work: Assisted in preparing position statements on resuming lung function testing https://www.cacpt.ca/ covid-19/ Assisted with Staged Precautions for Pulmonary Diagnostic Testing During and After COVID-19 Pandemic in Ontario - https://www.rtso.ca/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/RTSO-Staged-Precautionsfor-Pulmonary-Diagnostic-Testing-During-and-After-Covid.pdf Hosted a webinar, Things to Consider When Resuming Diagnostic Testing During COVID-19, regarding the changes in practice for pulmonary function labs Under the Respiratory Therapy Society of Ontario, Tony is a member of their leadership committee, the Chair the Pulmonary Diagnostics Workgroup and the Pulmonary Diagnostics Advisor for non-voting committee members. Tony is also the Chair of the Canadian Pulmonary Function Symposium and presents at their annual symposium. We salute Tony for his work on these important initiatives to improve the care and management of COVID -19 patients! Page 3
EXCEPTIONAL PEOPLE Happy 10th Anniversary SAH!
March 6, 2021 will mark the 10th anniversary of SAH. Since moving to this new facility we have accomplished many great things together! Some of our current staff, physicians and volunteers were involved in the planning, build and move to this facility. Since then, our entire team has worked together to create many more accomplishments and milestones to improve the care and services we provide to the residents of Algoma. Although we are not able to gather to celebrate this special occasion, we have developed a special anniversary video which will be available in the near future. Stay tuned for information about how you can participate in this virtual celebration.
Thank you to everyone at SAH for your continued dedication to all those you serve! Page 4
OUTSTANDING CARE Congratulations Bonnie! Congratulations to Bonnie Hore of Gore Bay who won the recent $250,372.50 jackpot in the Sault Area Hospital Foundation’s (SAHF) January electronic and online 50/50 draw. Bonnie, who grew up in Sault Ste. Marie, moved to Gore Bay in the 70s. Although Manitoulin Island is where she has lived for over 40 years, heading to Sault Ste. Marie is ‘heading home’. Bonnie and her family are excited by their win, and have big plans to travel and share it with the people and organizations that mean the most to them. Visit www.soo5050.ca to purchase your monthly draw tickets. Everyone wins when you support SAH!
Congratulations to Dr. David Berry
Congratulations to Dr. David Berry who’s abstract, Application of big data in healthcare: examination of the military was recently published in Health and Technology, a cross-disciplinary journal on issues related to health technologies. The journal constitutes an information platform connecting medical technology and informatics with the needs of care, health care professionals and patients. We salute Dr. Berry on this great success!
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OUTSTANDING CARE Improving Accessibility The newly approved Service Animal Policy will help promote inclusion and remove barriers at SAH. Service animals are not pets but animals trained to provide assistance to a person with a given disability. When a service animal accompanies a worker, patient or visitor, it is the responsibility of each of us to make every attempt to ensure that the animal is granted access into all public areas of the hospital permitted to others, with very few exceptions. “Finding ways to ensure we are accessible is not only the right thing to do, but it also ensures that we adhere to the Ontarians with Disabilities Act,” says Chris Belsito, Strategy and Business Planning Specialist, who also Chairs SAH’s Accessibility Committee. The legislation mandates that service animals be allowed access to places of public accommodation. “This policy provides definitions for service and emotional support animals, procedures to help support the identification of support animals, the roles and responsibilities of workers and service animal owners, access exceptions, as well as decision making guidelines.”
The new policy can be found on the intranet under Knowledge Base/Policies and Procedures/ Administrative Policies/Service Animals Policy The Service Animal Policy was developed by Sault Area Hospital’s Accessibility Committee. For more information, please contact Chris Belsito at ext. 7041.
Cardiac Cath Lab Now Offers 24/7 Service Our Cardiology Program has offered PCI services in the Cardiac Cath Lab since August 2018. The addition of this service was a significant milestone for access to care closer to home for our community.
Almost one year ago we secured a permanent full time local Interventional Cardiologist on staff at SAH, providing services, along with our partners from St. Michael’s Hospital in Toronto. Over the past 2 ½ years, these physicians and the Cardiac Cath Lab staff have been able to provide emergency access to PCI as needed on an ad hoc basis, avoiding transfers out of the community for our patients and families. As part of our continued effort to improve the Cardiology Program and services that we provide to our community, we have formalized a 24/7 model of care for urgent PCI. A Cardiac Cath Lab team will be on call for urgent cases (such as STEMIs or unstable NSTEMIs) that present after hours. Thank you to our team and our partners from St. Mike’s for making this happen for our community! Page 6
OUTSTANDING CARE Volunteers Participate in ASTOP Since the onset of the pandemic, we have all been faced with isolation to some degree. Geriatric patients and clients of the Algoma Geriatric Program are no exception and in fact, were especially impacted by isolation resulting from the COVID-19 Pandemic. As a result, Volunteer Resources and Geriatric Services teamed up to create Algoma Seniors Telephone Outreach Program (ASTOP). Our volunteers were eager to be engaged while they were not onsite at SAH. They began making weekly phone calls to patients and clients identified through Geriatric Services who would Jennifer (L) and Sara benefit from receiving a weekly friendly phone call. These calls began in May of 2020 and are still continuing. Seven volunteers have contributed to the program since it began and the program currently has four active volunteers making weekly phone calls to 31 patients/clients. Our volunteers have contributed over 260 hours to this unique program. They created connections for those individuals who would have otherwise been isolated during a very challenging time. It has not only benefitted our clients and patients from Geriatric Services, but has been enriching and gratifying for our volunteers. “I have had the pleasure of talking with a number of patients over the past several months. I have found that it is a great way to connect with them. It’s like they have invited me into their homes to have quaint chats about their days during the pandemic and about their past. Some have raised children and are still quite connected with them, while others continue to enjoy hobbies and chatting about current events,” says Sara, ASTOP Volunteer. Volunteers have enjoyed getting to know the clients and have formed a supportive bond with each of them. Conversations have been centred around common interests between the two participants, from politics to gardening, and current holidays.
“I speak with a client who takes pride in her Christmas lights. She has a ceramic tree that has been with her for years which is front and centre in her window. I asked if she would mind giving me her address so I could drive by. On Christmas eve, I sat in front of her house for a bit, admiring her lights. She was absolutely delighted and it made her day,” says Jennifer, ASTOP Volunteer. Clients and patients have appreciated the community connection and have loved being able to talk to someone outside of their regular contacts. This program gives them the opportunity to share their stories with someone new, and to make break up what can be a long day in lockdown. Clients and patients also provide the volunteers with a new and at times, refreshing perspective during the Pandemic. Thank you to our wonderful volunteers for providing this valuable and appreciated service. Page 7
WORKING TOGETHER Caregiver ID Project Launched
SAH has launched a pilot project titled, Caregiver ID, in partnership with the Algoma Ontario Health Team. This program launched on January 18 and has formally added new caregivers in their role each week. By the end of February, we expect to have upwards of 20 Essential Caregivers identified through this work. With restrictions to visitation, many essential caregivers were prevented from looking after their loved one(s) during the pandemic, which had a significant impact and unintended consequences on our patients. Our goal of this work is to formally establish the essential caregiver as part of the care team. Other project highlights at this time include:
Caregiver Training in LMS: Many staff that have completed the LMS, and many are excited about the initiation of the program. They have also recognized that we had been doing this work prior to COVID-19 in a much less formal matter and are acknowledging caregivers as an extension to the team. Expansion to the Post-Acute Care Program: The launch of this program has natural spread onto additional floors with caregivers being identified on 1B, 2A, 2B and 2C. Caregiver Binders: The need for a resource to support caregivers in their role was identified by one of our patient and family advisors on the project team. A prototype has since been developed and is being trialed with caregivers. Lanyards and Badges: Caregivers are being visually identified by wearing lanyards and badges. The introduction of the lanyard made the patient feel very important and validated the importance of the caregiver role. Following the pilot, further expansion is planned to occur broadly throughout the hospital and eventually will follow the patient on their journey into the community.
Thank you to those involved in supporting this work and to the caregivers that play a vital role in the care of their loved ones! Page 8
WORKING TOGETHER Preparing for your COVID-19 Vaccine To ensure a smooth vaccination process, we would like to share a few tips to make the clinic as efficient as possible. Please note that COVID-19 vaccines are being administered by scheduled appointments only (no walk-ins). Additionally, Human Resources will be contacting you to schedule your vaccine appointment. Please do not call to find out when yours will be scheduled.
How can I prepare for my appointment?
On the day of your appointment (if possible), please wear a short-sleeve shirt or a shirt with easy to roll up sleeves Wear your mask and face shield Maintain physical distancing from others Have something to eat to prevent feeling faint Bring your Health Card and immunization record Complete the COVID-19 Vaccine Screening and Consent Form ahead of your appointment Arrive on time
It is essential that you arrive on time for your scheduled appointment. To ensure appropriate physical distancing, there will be limited seating/space available in the clinic to accommodate early or late arrivals. The entire appointment should take approximately 25 minutes to complete. Registration and the actual vaccination should take about 10 minutes to complete. You will then be required to wait for at least 15 minutes (in a designated area) after receiving the vaccine to monitor for an adverse event following immunization (such as fainting). You will receive your Vaccine Immunization Certificate during your postimmunization waiting period. Immunization Records/Consent Forms We have instituted a few revisions to fine tune our process for our Vaccine Clinic appointments: 1. An immunization record is no longer required for your appointment 2. Instead of sending your consent form via email or dropping off, please bring the completed consent form to your appointment. If you have previously submitted your form it will be available at your appointment. Additional information is available on our COVID-19 Vaccine Information Guide [Q&A] prepared by Collaborative Practice and Occupational Health & Safety, CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE. Page 9
EXCEPTIONAL PEOPLE Resident Doctors Awareness Week 2021 Resident Doctors Awareness week (February 8 – 12, 2021) is a national celebration of the vital work undertaken by resident physicians for patients and health systems in Canada. Sault Ste. Marie is fortunate to host thirteen Northern Ontario School of Medicine (NOSM) home based medical residents specializing in Family Medicine, Psychiatry, and Anesthesia. Many other residents from medical schools across Canada, specializing in Emergency Medicine, Family Medicine, General Surgery, Internal Medicine, Pediatrics, Psychiatry, and Public Health also frequently visit our community for specialized rotations and electives. Medical residents in Sault Ste. Marie are a critical part of the medical team with regards to patient care, medical education, mentorship, quality improvement and research development. Over the last 10 years, we have been fortunate to recruit 46 resident physicians or 42% of our total recruits who have trained in Sault Ste. Marie as a resident doctor. SAH, along with the Ste. Marie Physician Recruitment & Retention would like to take the opportunity to acknowledge the valuable contribution of all our local residents.
We continue to welcome and encourage residents to come experience work and life in Sault Ste. Marie!
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OUTSTANDING CARE Addictions Services Proposal For those who may not be aware, SAH and several community groups have been advocating for an increase in Mental Health and Addiction (MH&A) services in our community for many years. In May of 2020, the most recent Addictions Services Proposal for expanded MH&A services in our community was submitted to the Capital and Operating Branches of the Ministry of Health (MoH). The current proposal intends to create 20 residential treatment beds (8 acute admission beds; 2 for alternative level of care, low sensory and unique needs; 10 post-acute/safe beds); 4 medical beds for a higher level in-hospital care; and support for at-home care.
The Addictions Services Proposal project team is in the process of developing a resource pool to identify any staff members interested in supporting this proposal and assisting the core project team. Stay tuned for more information.
Goals of Care The current pandemic has highlighted that health can change in an instant and the importance of early health care planning conversations. Goals of Care (GOC) discussions are one part of the patient centered decision making process and early Advance Care Planning (ACP) supports GOC discussions. ACP are important conversations regarding patient beliefs, values and wishes regarding future health care treatment. Patients are encouraged to complete their ACP prior to an illness/medical event and share with their SDM (Substitute Decision Maker) and Health Care Team. GOC discussions occur in the context of a serious illness and when treatment or care decisions need to be made. Lead by providers, GOC discussions aim to align available treatment and care options with the patient’s goals and values. At the outset of the pandemic, a working group including physicians, multidisciplinary team members and SAH administration have put together tools and resources to support ACP/GOC discussions. Documentation templates have been built in Meditech Expanse that align with provincial legal framework and Hospice Palliative Care Ontario (HPCO) guidelines. Educational tools and resources have been created to support these discussions. Pilot projects to support and document earlier conversations have been initiated in ADCP and Renal. Further provider focused supports, education and implementation strategies are under review. Interested providers are encouraged to share their feedback and suggestions for future growth. For Ontario specific tools and information for Advanced Care Planning and Goals of Care conversations visit: https://www.speakupontario.ca/ For more information, please contact Dr. Karen Booth boothk@sah.on.ca or Angie Gervasi gervasia@sah.on.ca. Page 11
WORKING TOGETHER Tim Horton’s Donation
Thank you to Tim Horton’s corporate office for generously donating eight dozen donuts (individually packaged) and eight dozen coffee-to-go boxes. We appreciate their support of our health care workers throughout the Pandemic.
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WORKING TOGETHER Our Shining Stars SHINING STAR RECIPIENT
DEPARTMENT
RECOGNIZED VALUE
Angel Baker Andrew Aitken Jodie Brooks Amanda Palermo Grant Elliott OR Staff (Supervisor, Dr. Skelton, Dr. Knot) Louise Blais
Emergency Department Security Emergency Department Emergency Department Emergency Department Operating Room
Excellence Excellence All iCcare Values Excellence Collaboration; Accountability; Excellence
Housekeeping
Respect; Excellence; Collaboration & Partnership
Cathy Tassone
Housekeeping
The Shining Star random draw winner is Operating Room Staff. Congratulations to everyone!
Spirit Room (C1803): Use and Booking Traditional ceremonies involving burning should take place in the Spirit Room (C1803). This space is designated for spiritual ceremony, reflection and healing. Staff members can support the patient and family by booking the Spirit Room for them through MS Outlook.
When a patient requests a smudging ceremony, a care team member will book the Spirit Room (C1803) on behalf of the patient to prevent double booking. Please ensure you demonstrate respect and compassion for the patient’s culture and wishes. Booking the Spirit Room (C1803) is done through MS Outlook, the same as booking any meeting room. Please note that burning or smudging is currently not permitted in the Spiritual Centre (C3702) on the 3rd floor.
Booking a Room on MS Outlook: Click the Calendar in the bottom-left corner of the window (if necessary). Click New Meeting in the “Home” tab on the ribbon. Click the Rooms… button in the “New Meeting” window. Find the Spirit Room (C1803), select it, and click OK. Provide all other necessary details for the meeting (other attendees, date/time, notes, etc.) and click Send to schedule the meeting and reserve the room. For more information, please contact Shauna Hynna at ext. 6899 or hynnas@sah.on.ca
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WORKING TOGETHER Latest COVID-19 Updates Weekly Command Centre Update bulletins can be accessed on the internal SAH G Drive - SAH Command Centre Updates (You must be logged in to your SAH Account to access the updates). Update to Symptomatic and Asymptomatic HCW In response to recently issued local/provincial guidance regarding Enhanced Screening (Requiring household members to stay home should any member of the household have new or worsening symptoms of COVID-19) We have updated the Symptomatic and Asymptomatic Health Care Worker Protocol - available here. Employees with a symptomatic household member who cannot work from home are to self-isolate at work until a negative test result is received. We have taken this approach to ensure our hospital is able to continue to provide care to our community as well as, based on the rationale below: Our rate of community transmission is low; if it were to change, this should be revisited at that time Provincial guidance has changed but supports that there are different recommendations based on the local risk of disease. APH has decided to take a more cautious approach and therefore recommended that all household members self-isolate if anyone is sick in the home and awaiting test results. As health care workers, work self-isolation is a reasonable measure to take to reduce exposure risk and address the guidance issued by APH. This will allow us to ensure we have adequate staffing while being mindful of risk.
Accommodations for Face Shields Should you experience an issue with your face shield that requires accommodation (e.g. ocular pain, headache, etc.), reach out to your leader, who will work with you to try one of the other SAH approved face shields. Hospital provided face shields are to be utilized for eye protection. This means workers are not to purchase and bring in their own PPE. There are many reasons for this, including ensuring we are meeting our obligations under the Occupational Health & Safety Act and validating that the PPE being used by workers has been properly researched, meets quality standards, and we are aware of the cleaning/replacement requirements, etc.
Visiting Patients on Unit Visitor Restriction Remain in Effect - staff, physicians and volunteers are reminded that they are not to make personal visits to patients on the units unless they are a designated visitor.
Reminder When Outside HCWs are reminded when taking their breaks outside (walking, smoking, eating, etc.); they are to maintain physical distancing of at least 2m – 6ft.
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WORKING TOGETHER Latest COVID-19 Updates COVID-19 Antibody Testing Study SAH is partnering with SickKids Hospital and Mount Sinai Hospital to conduct two hospital-wide studies on healthcare personnel working during the COVID-19 pandemic. The process of recruiting individuals from SAH to participate in these studies has begun.
Study #1 – SickKids Hospital: Healthcare Worker Seroprevalence of anti-SARS-CoV-19 Antibodies (COVID-19 Antibodies in Healthcare Workers)
Study #2 – Mount Sinai Hospital: Longitudinal study on prevalence, incidence and persistence of SARS -CoV-2 antibodies in healthcare workers using home blood collection kits and a fully automated ELISA antibody assay.
For your convenience, links to the research consent forms for each study below are included below. SickKids - Study Research Consent Form SickKids - Study Research Optional Consent Form Mt. Sinai - Study Research Consent Form If you are interested in learning more about the study, what's involved in participating and reviewing the consent form, please email the research coordinator Wendy Doda at wdoda@ssmic.com.
Patient TV Services Patient TV, internet and phone services across the facility have been generously provided throughout the COVID-19 Pandemic by Sault Area Hospital Foundation (SAHF) and Sault Area Hospital (SAH). To date, the SAHF has covered eight months totaling $108,000, and Sault Area Hospital has covered three months. Due to rising costs, SAHF is no longer be able to cover these costs. We thank the Foundation and our donors for their generosity during this difficult time for our patients. Please ensure patients and their families are aware of this change.
Scenes From Vaccine Clinic at SAH!
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WORKING TOGETHER Vaccine Q&A Join us for an update about the SAH Vaccine Clinic and an open vaccine Q&A with Dr. Castellani and Human Resources. This session will provide health care workers the opportunity to ask questions or address any concerns you may have about the vaccine. Watch your email inbox for a WebEx invitation to the event! • If you prefer, send questions ahead of time to publicaffairs@sah.on.ca • The event will be recorded and shared via email following the session
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WORKING TOGETHER COVID-19 Staff Resources
COVID-19 Information for Staff For a complete list of COVID-19 policies, health and safety protocols, travel guidance for HCWs, visitor guidance and staff wellness resources, please click here: COVID-19 Staff Resources
Staff Reminders:
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EXCEPTIONAL PEOPLE Comings and Goings Welcome New Employees:
vital links
David Nanchin ~ Project Management Consultant, Derek Howe ~ MDR Technician, Miranda Penner ~ MDR Technician, Brittany Zambusi ~ MDR Technician, Lorrie Del Bel ~ Manager Warehouse & Distribution, Giridhar Juvva ~ HIMP, Milva Howe, Food Service Worker, Hilary Quarrell ~ Food Service Worker, Mackenzie Nadeau ~ RPN, Jocelynn Myers ~ RPN, Trish Smith ~ RPN, Alyssa Lemay, RPN ~ Michelle Caccamo, PSW, Megan Culham ~ Clinic Assistant, Tamara Harris ~ Clinic Assistant, Carley Bordin ~ Clinic Assistant, Karen Cupido ~ Clinic Assistant, Krysta Gillespie ~ Clinic Assistant, Sharron Paul-Davis ~ Clinic Assistant, Sandra McLeod ~ Office Assistant, Laurel-Ann Byers ~ Medical Lab Assistant, Shannon Byers ~ BSW Social Worker, Emili Quevillon ~ Recreational Therapy Assistant, Hannah Rausch ~ Door Screener, Christine St. Jules ~ Door Screener Farewell Retirees:
Vital Links is published monthly by Communications and Public Affairs, Sault Area Hospital. News items, story ideas and upcoming events can be submitted to Rose Calibani at ext. 3671 or calibanir@sah.on.ca
Donna Humphries, Cleaner ~ 11 years Edward Landriault, Regional Training Coordinator ~ 13 years Dorothy Eastman, Registered Nurse ~ 41 years Iris Genier, Laundry Washer ~ 14 years Paula Wright, Unit Assistant ~ 24 years
Drawing COVID-19 Vaccines!
www.sah.on.ca
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